The leaders of China and Russia like to speak in public of the strategic partnership between the two countries, based on mutual interests and trust. In reality, the two cornerstones of the relationship—arms sales and energy cooperation—are crumbling. China has not placed a significant order for Russian arms since 2005 and buys only a fraction of its energy imports from Russia.

This timely report illuminates the current status of China’s security and energy relations with Russia. The authors describe a relationship that is complex and at times fraught with distrust, and which, although potentially promising, is increasingly marred by uncertainties.

Read the press release here

Contents

1. Introduction
2. The strategic partnership
3. Military cooperation
4. Energy cooperation
5. Conclusions

About the authors

Linda Jakobson (Finland) is East Asia Program Director at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney. Until April 2011 she was Director of the SIPRI China and Global Security Programme, based in Beijing, where she had lived and worked for nearly 20 years.

Dr Paul Holtom (United Kingdom) is Director of the SIPRI Arms Transfers Programme. His research interests include arms transfers to and from the states of the former Soviet Union and transparency in international arms transfers.

Dean Knox (United States) is a doctoral student in political science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Until April 2011 he was a Research Assistant with the SIPRI China and Global Security Programme.

Jingchao Peng (China) is a Research Assistant with the SIPRI China and Global Security Programme. His current research interests include China’s policy on the Arctic.

Publisher: SIPRI
ISBN 978-91-85114-66-5
viii+43 pp.
October 2011
Price: €7.50 per copy plus €5 shipping and handling per order